They urged the Trump administration Tuesday to follow the lead of the UK and European allies in sanctioning illegal Israeli settlements.

Senator Chris Van Hollen said in a post on the US social media platform X that European countries were finally moving beyond rhetoric on the issue.

"Finally some European countries are going beyond the ritual denouncing of expanding illegal Israeli settlements & are taking action to uphold international law. It is a modest but important step," he wrote.

"While the Trump admin attacks the move, Congress can & must act," he said.

Representative Joaquin Castro also called on Washington to take similar steps.

"The United Kingdom's decision to impose sanctions and a trade ban on settlements is a step in the right direction. The expansion of Israeli settlements is an ugly land grab carried out through violence and terrorism," the Texas Democrat wrote on X.

"Any American President serious about achieving peace should do the same," he said.

Representative Ro Khanna said the UK had "taken an important moral step" and called for further action to recognize a Palestinian state.

"The UK has taken an important moral step in imposing sanctions and a trade ban on Israel's illegal settlements," the California Democrat wrote on X. "The next American President must do the same and recognize a Palestinian state."

Representative Greg Casar said the UK's move was "a step in the right direction" toward ending the occupation.

"The UK and other allies just imposed a trade ban and sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. This is a step in the right direction and toward ending the occupation," the Texas Democrat wrote on X. "The US must do the same."

Representative Chuy Garcia went further, calling on Washington to end its support for "Israeli occupation and genocide."

"I agree and commend the UK and other allies for imposing sanctions and a trade ban on settlements," the Illinois Democrat wrote on X.

"Israeli-sanctioned terrorism in the occupied West Bank continues unchecked, destroying entire villages and even killing U.S. citizens," he said. "The U.S. government must take this long overdue step, and do much more to end its support for Israeli occupation and genocide."

Earlier on Tuesday, British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced that the UK will impose an import ban on goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, citing “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians.

It was part of a coordinated announcement Tuesday by 12 countries, the UK, France, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden confirming plans to impose national or European Union restrictions on trade in goods with illegal Israeli settlements.

The Israeli regime responded by announcing it would close the British consulate in al-Quds in response to sweeping UK sanctions.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters Tuesday in Miami that Washington has no plans to follow the UK's lead in taking action against illegal Israeli occupiers.

Asked about London's move, Rubio said Britain had briefed Washington beforehand but stressed the decision was the UK's. "Well, they alerted us to it. We don't have any announcements, obviously," he said. "These are decisions that they make."

Source: Anadolu